U.S. patent number 8,508,354 [Application Number 13/056,787] was granted by the patent office on 2013-08-13 for fuel-saving driving diagnostic device, fuel-saving driving diagnostic system, control device of prime mover, fuel-saving driving rating device, and fuel-saving driving diagnostic method.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Aisin AW Co., Ltd, Denso Corporation, Fujitsu Ten Limited, Toyota Jidoshakabushiki Kaisha. The grantee listed for this patent is Satoshi Harumoto, Kouei Kiyo, Naoki Miura, Masaki Nakamura, Junichi Nonomura, Hiroaki Sugiura, Shojiro Takeuchi, Nobutaka Tauchi, Yoshio Yamatani. Invention is credited to Satoshi Harumoto, Kouei Kiyo, Naoki Miura, Masaki Nakamura, Junichi Nonomura, Hiroaki Sugiura, Shojiro Takeuchi, Nobutaka Tauchi, Yoshio Yamatani.
United States Patent |
8,508,354 |
Harumoto , et al. |
August 13, 2013 |
Fuel-saving driving diagnostic device, fuel-saving driving
diagnostic system, control device of prime mover, fuel-saving
driving rating device, and fuel-saving driving diagnostic
method
Abstract
An accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining unit
determines whether the number of engine revolutions of a vehicle is
equal to or higher than a predetermined value, whether an
accelerator opening rate is equal to or lower than a predetermined
value, and whether a traveling state is an accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling state where a quantity of fuel injection to an
engine is 0. When it is determined that the traveling state is the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling state, the traveling distance
adding-up unit adds up accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling
distances. A fuel-saving driving rating unit rates driving by a
driver based on each of the added-up values which were added up by
the traveling distance adding-up unit. A fuel-saving driving advice
generating unit notifies the driver of a fuel-saving driving advice
together with a rating result in accordance with the rating result.
Therefore, it is possible to encourage the driver to perform early
engine operation by an engine braking, and to enhance the driver's
awareness of fuel saving driving.
Inventors: |
Harumoto; Satoshi (Kobe,
JP), Kiyo; Kouei (Kobe, JP), Takeuchi;
Shojiro (Tokyo, JP), Miura; Naoki (Toyokawa,
JP), Nakamura; Masaki (Okazaki, JP),
Sugiura; Hiroaki (Okazaki, JP), Yamatani; Yoshio
(Okazaki, JP), Nonomura; Junichi (Okazaki,
JP), Tauchi; Nobutaka (Toyoake, JP) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Harumoto; Satoshi
Kiyo; Kouei
Takeuchi; Shojiro
Miura; Naoki
Nakamura; Masaki
Sugiura; Hiroaki
Yamatani; Yoshio
Nonomura; Junichi
Tauchi; Nobutaka |
Kobe
Kobe
Tokyo
Toyokawa
Okazaki
Okazaki
Okazaki
Okazaki
Toyoake |
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A |
JP
JP
JP
JP
JP
JP
JP
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
Fujitsu Ten Limited (Kobe-shi,
JP)
Toyota Jidoshakabushiki Kaisha (Toyota, JP)
Aisin AW Co., Ltd (Anjo-shi, JP)
Denso Corporation (Kariya-shi, JP)
|
Family
ID: |
41610482 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/056,787 |
Filed: |
July 30, 2009 |
PCT
Filed: |
July 30, 2009 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/JP2009/063592 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
January 31, 2011 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2010/013784 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
February 04, 2010 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20110133921 A1 |
Jun 9, 2011 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jul 31, 2008 [JP] |
|
|
2008-198383 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/439; 701/114;
73/114.52; 340/441; 701/93; 340/467; 340/443 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02D
29/02 (20130101); F02D 41/021 (20130101); F02D
41/123 (20130101); B60W 30/18072 (20130101); B60W
50/14 (20130101); F02D 2200/604 (20130101); F02D
41/2403 (20130101); B60W 2530/18 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60Q
1/00 (20060101); G05B 1/00 (20060101); B60T
8/32 (20060101); G06F 19/00 (20060101); G01F
9/00 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A-2003-106182 |
|
Apr 2003 |
|
JP |
|
A-2005-337229 |
|
Dec 2005 |
|
JP |
|
A-2006-243856 |
|
Sep 2006 |
|
JP |
|
Other References
International Search Report in International Application No.
PCT/JP2009/063592; dated Sep. 29, 2009 (with English-language
translation). cited by applicant .
Nov. 5, 2012 Office Action issued in Chinese Patent Application No.
200980130254.2 (with Translation). cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Bugg; George
Assistant Examiner: Dorsey; Renee
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oliff & Berridge, PLC
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A fuel-saving driving diagnostic device comprising: a condition
managing unit that manages an accelerator-off traveling condition
which is a condition defining a control status of a vehicle for
determining whether the vehicle is performing an accelerator-off
traveling or not; a determining unit that determines whether the
control status of the vehicle satisfies the accelerator-off
traveling condition or not; an interval determining unit that
determines whether an interval including a current traveling
position of the vehicle is to cause the determining unit to make
determination or not based on a condition of the current traveling
position of the vehicle acquired by a road/traffic condition
acquiring device that acquires a road condition and/or a traffic
condition; a total-traveling-distance calculating unit that
calculates a total traveling distance of the vehicle within the
interval determined to cause the determining unit to make
determination by the interval determining unit; an accelerator-off
traveling distance calculating unit that calculates an
accelerator-off traveling distance for which the determining unit
determines that the control status of the vehicle satisfies the
accelerator-off traveling condition; and a fuel-saving driving
rating unit that rates a fuel-saving driving based on the total
traveling distance calculated by the total-traveling-distance
calculating unit and the accelerator-off traveling distance
calculated by the accelerator-off traveling distance calculating
unit.
2. The fuel-saving driving diagnostic device according to claim 1,
further comprising a condition changing unit that changes the
accelerator-off traveling condition according to the road condition
or the traffic condition acquired by the road/traffic condition
acquiring device.
3. The fuel-saving driving diagnostic device according to claim 1,
further comprising an advice generating unit that generates a
fuel-saving driving advice based on a result of rating by the
fuel-saving driving rating unit.
4. The fuel-saving driving diagnostic device according to claim 3,
further comprising a notifying unit that notifies a driver one of a
rating result by the fuel-saving driving rating unit and a
fuel-saving driving advice generated by the advice generating
unit.
5. A fuel-saving driving diagnostic method for diagnosing
fuel-saving driving of a vehicle, the method comprising: managing
an accelerator-off traveling condition which is a condition
defining a control status of a vehicle for determining whether the
vehicle is performing an accelerator-off traveling or not;
determining of the control status by determining whether the
control status of the vehicle satisfies the accelerator-off
traveling condition or not; determining of an interval by
determining whether an interval including a current traveling
position of the vehicle is to perform the determining of the
control status or not based on a condition of the current traveling
position of the vehicle acquired by a road/traffic condition
acquiring device that acquires a road condition and/or a traffic
condition; calculating a total traveling distance of the vehicle
within the interval determined to perform the determining of the
control status; calculating an accelerator-off traveling distance
for which the control status of the vehicle is determined to
satisfy the accelerator-off traveling condition; and rating a
fuel-saving driving based on the total traveling distance
calculated and the accelerator-off traveling distance calculated.
Description
FIELD
The present invention relates to a fuel-saving driving diagnostic
device, a fuel-saving driving diagnostic system, a control device
of a prime mover, a fuel-saving driving rating device and a
fuel-saving driving diagnostic method for diagnosing and rating
fuel-saving driving based on a distance through which a driver
drives a vehicle without consuming fuel by appropriate operation of
an accelerator, and notifying the rating result to the driver to
raise awareness of the fuel-saving driving.
BACKGROUND
In recent years, fuel saving characteristics of vehicles are again
regarded as important, as the global environmental issues are
drawing more attention. As for the global environmental issues,
measures need to be promptly taken against global warming. Vehicles
with gasoline engines that emit greenhouse gases such as carbon
dioxide have been repeatedly improved, fuel efficiency is enhanced,
and discharged greenhouse gases are reduced.
An electric vehicle using, as a driving source, a motor having
higher energy utilizing efficiency than that of a gasoline engine,
and a hybrid car using both a gasoline engine and a motor as
driving sources are developed, and the fuel saving characteristics
of vehicle are enhancing for sure.
However, no matter how high the original fuel saving
characteristics of the vehicle are, if a driver's driving manner is
against the fuel saving, e.g., if the operation of an accelerator
is unsuitable and an engine braking is not effectively utilized,
the high fuel saving characteristics of the vehicle would be
meaningless. To address this issue, conventional technologies have
been devised to prompt the driver to operate the accelerator in an
appropriate manner so as to effectively utilize the engine braking,
and to give notification to the driver to encourage the fuel-saving
driving.
According to one of the conventional technologies for example,
operation time of engine braking and operation time of an auxiliary
brake (normal disk or drum brake) during the driving operation were
recorded, and the fuel saving driving by a driver was rated based
on a ratio of the operation time of the auxiliary brake to the
operation time of the engine braking. The driver is informed of a
rating result and prompted to operate the accelerator such that the
engine braking is effectively utilized with the least use of the
auxiliary brake.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
Patent Literature: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.
2003-106182
SUMMARY
Technical Problem
According to the conventional technologies, it is possible to
suppress the use of the auxiliary brake to the least while the
engine braking is working by providing the result of rating based
on the ratio of the operation time of the auxiliary brake to the
operation time of the engine braking.
However, the above-described conventional technology is designed to
suppress the use of the auxiliary brake by providing the result of
rating. Hence, this technology is not designed to encourage the use
of engine braking itself, or to prompt the driver to perform early
braking operation utilizing the engine braking alone. This is
because when the rating is based on the ratio of the operation time
of the auxiliary brake to the operation time of the engine braking,
the result of rating does not reflect positive evaluation of the
use of engine braking itself.
A fuel-saving driving diagnostic device, a fuel-saving driving
diagnostic system and a fuel-saving driving diagnostic method as
disclosed are made to solve the problems, and it is an object of
the invention to provide a fuel-saving driving diagnostic device, a
fuel-saving driving diagnostic system, a control device of a prime
mover, a fuel-saving driving rating device and a fuel-saving
driving diagnostic method capable of positively evaluating the use
of engine braking and capable of prompting a driver to perform
early braking operation using only the engine braking.
Solution to Problem
To solve the problems as described above and to achieve an object,
according to a fuel-saving driving diagnostic device, a fuel-saving
driving diagnostic system and a fuel-saving driving diagnostic
method as disclosed: managing an accelerator-off traveling
condition which is a condition defining a control status of a
vehicle for determining whether the vehicle is performing an
accelerator-off traveling or not; changing the accelerator-off
traveling condition according to a road condition or a traffic
condition acquired by a road/traffic condition acquiring device
which acquires a road condition and/or a traffic condition;
determining whether the control status of the vehicle satisfies the
accelerator-off traveling condition or not; making a
fuel-saving-driving diagnosis by determining whether to make
determination on whether the control status of the vehicle
satisfies the accelerator-off traveling condition or not based on
the condition of a current traveling position of the vehicle
acquired by the road/traffic condition acquiring device;
calculating a total traveling distance of the vehicle within a
predetermined time period; calculating an accelerator-off traveling
distance for which it is determined that the control status of the
vehicle satisfies the accelerator-off traveling condition; rating
the fuel-saving driving based on the total traveling distance and
the accelerator-off traveling distance; generating a fuel-saving
driving advice based on a result of rating; and notifying a driver
one of a rating result and a fuel-saving driving advice.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
According to the fuel-saving driving diagnostic device, fuel-saving
driving diagnostic system and fuel-saving driving diagnostic method
as disclosed herein, a driver is prompted to perform early braking
operation utilizing the engine braking alone and with the least use
of the auxiliary brake. In addition, evaluation of the
accelerator-off traveling distance is performed only when the road
condition and traffic condition are such that the braking operation
by the engine braking is preferable. Thus, the use of engine
braking itself is positively evaluated and encouraged. As a result,
it is possible to raise the awareness of the driver for the
accelerator-off driving, and give the driver a knowledge that the
accelerator-off driving such as the driving utilizing the engine
braking is economical and eco-friendly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating configurations of a
fuel-saving driving diagnostic device and related devices according
to one example of an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating one example of an
accelerator-opening-rate upper-limit-value table.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating one example of an accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling determination condition table.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating one example of a fuel-saving
driving advice table in which fuel-saving-driving advices are
stored in association with the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling
score.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating procedures in an
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling diagnosis process.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating procedures in accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling determination process.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating procedures in an
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling diagnosis rating result &
advice notification process.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating one example of display formats of
an accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling score and an
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling distance.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating display formats of an
accelerator-off fuel cut traveling score and a fuel-saving driving
advice.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating configurations of a
fuel-saving driving diagnostic device and related devices according
to a modified example of the embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
One example of an embodiment of a fuel-saving driving diagnostic
device, a fuel-saving driving diagnostic system and a fuel-saving
driving diagnostic method will be described in detail below with
reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the
example of the embodiment below, a vehicle which is driven using
fossil fuel as a fuel (energy) such as a vehicle having a gasoline
engine will be described as an example.
However, the application of the invention is not limited to the
application for those vehicles driven using fossil fuel as a fuel
(energy), such as those having gasoline engine. The invention is
applicable to a hybrid car which has both the gasoline engine (or
other engine using fossil fuel as energy) and a driving motor
(motor, hereinafter), and which travels while switching between the
driving sources in accordance with driving conditions. The
invention is widely and generally applicable to any vehicles driven
by energy, e.g., an electric car, a fuel cell car and a vehicle
which travels using a motor as a driving force.
One Example of Embodiment
One example of a fuel-saving driving diagnostic device, a
fuel-saving driving diagnostic system and a fuel-saving driving
diagnostic method according to the embodiment will be described
with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. FIG. 1 is a block diagram
illustrating exemplary configurations of the fuel-saving driving
diagnostic device and related devices of a vehicle 1a according to
the embodiment.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a fuel-saving driving diagnostic device
10a includes a fuel-saving driving diagnosing unit 11, a
fuel-saving driving rating unit 12, a fuel-saving driving advice
generating unit 13, an in-vehicle network interface unit 14 and an
output interface unit 15. Further, the fuel-saving driving
diagnostic device 10a is connected to a traveling control device
20a via the in-vehicle network interface unit 14 and an in-vehicle
network 100. The traveling control device 20a is a computer which
controls the traveling of the vehicle 1a, and includes a
vehicle-model-information managing unit 21. Further, the
fuel-saving driving diagnostic device 10a is connected to a display
unit 16 via the output interface unit 15. The display unit 16 has a
display screen.
The traveling control device 20a is connected to an engine control
device 24 and a brake control device 25. The engine control device
24 controls a gasoline engine which drives the vehicle. The brake
control device 25 controls a mechanical brake (such as a disk brake
and a drum brake) according to the braking operation by the
driver.
Further, the traveling control device 20a is connected to a
vehicle-speed sensor 26 which detects the current speed of the
vehicle, an accelerator operation quantity sensor 27 which detects
the current amount of an accelerator operation by the driver, a
shift sensor 28 which detects the current position of a shift lever
and the current shift-mode status of the vehicle, and a vehicle
speed pulse signal added-up value storing unit 29.
The vehicle speed pulse signal added-up value storing unit 29
stores a vehicle speed pulse signal added-up value, which is a
value obtained by adding up the number of detection of
vehicle-speed pulse signals by a pulse sensor. The pulse sensor is
provided at an inner diameter of the wheel of the vehicle 1a. The
vehicle-speed pulse signal is output every time the wheel rotates
once. In other words, the vehicle speed pulse signal added-up value
is a value obtained by adding up the number of rotations of the
wheel. By calculating the difference between the vehicle-speed
pulse-signal added-up values before and after a predetermined time
period (e.g., 100 milliseconds) and multiplying the obtained value
with the outer circumferential length of the wheel, the traveling
distance of the vehicle 1a during the predetermined time period can
be calculated.
The fuel-saving driving diagnosing unit 11 includes a
diagnosis-condition managing unit 11a, an accelerator-opening-rate
upper-limit-value calculating unit 11b, an accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c and a traveling distance
adding-up unit 11d. The diagnosis-condition managing unit 11a
manages conditions by which the traveling of the vehicle is
determined to be an accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling. The
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling refers to a traveling during
which the driver does not step on the accelerator and makes the
vehicle coast. In other words, the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling is a driving during which the accelerator is not used
(accelerator-off driving) and the fuel consumption is reduced.
Specifically, an accelerator-opening-rate upper-limit-value table
as illustrated in FIG. 2 and an accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling
determination condition table as illustrated in FIG. 3 are
stored.
The accelerator-opening-rate upper-limit-value table as illustrated
in FIG. 2 stores the upper limit value of the accelerator opening
rate calculated by the accelerator-opening-rate upper-limit-value
calculating unit 11b for each vehicle-speed range. The accelerator
opening rate refers to the rate [%] of accelerator opening .theta.
[deg] achieved by the current accelerator operation to the maximum
accelerator opening .theta. [deg] determined according to each
vehicle model.
The accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determination condition
table illustrated in FIG. 3 includes, as determination items, i.e.,
items for determining whether the driving is the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling or not, an engine revolution [rpm], an
accelerator opening rate [%] and a quantity of fuel injection [mL].
The current values of the engine revolution r [rpm], the
accelerator opening rate o [%] and the quantity of fuel injection f
[mL] are acquired from the engine control device 24, the
accelerator operation quantity sensor 27 and the engine control
device 24, respectively, via the traveling control device 20a every
100 milliseconds, for example.
The accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determination condition
table further stores a current value, a diagnosis condition value
(initial value) and a diagnosis condition value (changed value) for
each determination item. In the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling
determination condition table, the lower limit r1 [rpm] of the
diagnosis condition value (initial value) of the engine revolution
is the number of engine revolutions at which the vehicle can be
regarded as performing the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling and
is set for each vehicle model. For example, the lower limit r1 may
be 1000 [rpm].
Further, in the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determination
condition table, the upper limit o2 [%] of the diagnosis condition
value (initial value) of the accelerator opening rate is an
accelerator opening rate at which the vehicle can be regarded as
performing the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling and is set for
each vehicle model. For example, the upper limit o2 is 0.5 [%].
Further, in the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determination
condition table, the upper limit of the diagnosis condition value
(initial value) of the quantity of fuel injection is 0 [mL].
Further, the diagnosis condition value (changed value) indicates a
value obtained as the diagnosis-condition managing unit 11a changes
the diagnosis condition value (initial value) base on map
information obtained from a map information DB 17a of a car
navigation device 17, road condition and traffic condition received
by a road-information receiving device 18a and speed-limit
information acquired by a speed-limit-information acquiring device
18b. The diagnosis condition value (changed value) is a value which
eases or tightens the diagnosis condition value (initial
value).
The road-information receiving device 18a is a VICS (registered
trademark) receiver or a DSRC (Dedicated Short Range
Communications: Road-to-Vehicle Communications) device. The
speed-limit-information acquiring device 18b may be a device which
recognizes speed-limit indications on the road or the traffic
signs, a device which receives speed-limit information of its
current position by radio frequency, or a device which acquires
speed-limit information of its current position based on map
information.
The diagnosis-condition managing unit 11a eases and tightens the
diagnosis condition value according to the map information, road
condition, traffic condition and speed-limit information because of
the following reasons. When the driving is determined to be the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling, it means that the driver
achieves a fuel-saving driving. When determining whether the driver
realizes an eco-driving (here, "eco" means ecology, and
"eco-driving" means economical driving and/or eco-friendly driving)
based on the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling score and the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling distance as described later, if
the traffic environment and the traffic condition of the road on
which the vehicle 1a travels are not taken into account, it would
be difficult to make fair determination.
If the situation at the driving point where the vehicle 1a is
traveling is not taken into account in determination of the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling, the scoring (rating) of the
driving based on the result of determination will be advantageous
to some drivers and disadvantageous to others, and thus will be
unfair. To eliminate this unfairness, the diagnosis-condition
managing unit 11a eases or tightens the diagnosis condition value
according to the map information, road condition, traffic condition
and speed-limit information, thereby realizing the fair diagnosis
and fair rating to the satisfaction of the driver, i.e., the
user.
When easing or tightening the diagnosis condition value according
to the map information, road condition, traffic condition and
speed-limit information, the upper limit or the lower limit of the
diagnosis condition value as represented by a numerical value is
increased/decreased by approximately 20% to 30%, for example,
according to the condition.
The accelerator-opening-rate upper-limit-value calculating unit 11b
calculates the upper limit value of the accelerator opening rate,
that is the rate of the accelerator opening achieved by the
accelerator operation to the maximum accelerator opening [.theta.]
for each vehicle model and each vehicle speed range based on the
vehicle-model information delivered by the traveling control device
20a. The upper limit value of the accelerator opening rate is each
stored in the column of the "accelerator-opening-rate upper limit
value" in the accelerator-opening-rate upper-limit-value table
corresponding to each speed range. In the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling determination condition table, the upper limit o2 of the
diagnosis condition value (initial value) of the accelerator
opening rate is updated every 100 milliseconds, for example, with
the accelerator-opening-rate upper limit value corresponding to the
current vehicle speed.
The accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c
determines whether the accelerator opening ratio o [%] of the
vehicle 1a acquired via the traveling control device 20a satisfies
the diagnosis condition value (changed value) as illustrated in
FIG. 3. Then, in the similar manner, the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling determining unit 11c determines whether the engine
revolution r [rpm] and the quantity of fuel injection f [mL] of the
vehicle 1a acquired via the traveling control device 20a each
satisfy the diagnosis condition value (changed value) illustrated
in FIG. 3. This determination is the fuel-saving driving diagnosis.
When the diagnosis condition values (changed value) of all the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determination items are
satisfied, the traveling distance adding-up unit 11d adds 100-msec
traveling distance which is mentioned later to the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling distance.
When the road condition and the traffic condition are in a normal
state, the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c
determines whether the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling
determination items each fall within the range between the lower
limit and the upper limit of the diagnosis condition value (initial
value) illustrated in FIG. 3.
On the other hand, when the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling
determining unit 11c determines that any one of the diagnosis
condition values (changed values) illustrated in FIG. 3 is not
satisfied, the traveling distance adding-up unit 11d does not add
the 100-msec traveling distance to the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling distance.
The traveling distance adding-up unit 11d adds the 100-msec
traveling distance to each of a one-trip traveling distance and the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling distance. The 100-msec
traveling distance is acquired every 100 milliseconds from the
vehicle speed pulse signal added-up value storing unit 29 via the
traveling control device 20a
The one-trip traveling distance is a distance which the vehicle 1a
travels from the time the ignition is turned on until the ignition
is turned off. The accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling distance is
a part of the one-trip traveling distance, and is a distance for
which the diagnosis condition values (changed values) are satisfied
for all the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determination
items.
A traveling distance of one traveling, which is a traveling
distance from the time the vehicle starts until the vehicle stops,
may be employed instead of the one-trip traveling distance. By
adopting the distance of one traveling, it is possible to make more
meticulous diagnosis of the driving.
The fuel-saving driving rating unit 12 of the fuel-saving driving
diagnostic device 10a rates the driver's driving based on the
added-up value obtained by the traveling distance adding-up unit
11d. Specifically, the accelerator-off fuel-cut traveling score is
calculated by following equation.
.times..times..times..times..times..times..times..times..times..times..ti-
mes..times..times..times..times..times..times..times..times..times..times.-
.times..function. ##EQU00001##
The accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling score represents a "good"
score for evaluating the fuel-saving driving of the driver. The
fuel-saving driving rating unit 12 causes the display unit 16 to
display the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling score, the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling distance and the one-trip
traveling distance as illustrated in FIG. 8.
As described above, the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling score
is calculated based on the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling
distance and the one-trip traveling distance, and thus the degree
of fuel-saving driving by the driver is rated. Therefore, fair,
clear and understandable rating result can be presented to the
driver. Hence, it is possible to encourage the driver to perform
early engine braking, to raise awareness of the driver for the
fuel-saving driving, and thereby to reduce fuel consumption and
contribute to the environmental protection.
The fuel-saving driving advice generating unit 13 of the
fuel-saving driving diagnostic device 10a causes the display unit
16 to display the fuel-saving driving advice as illustrated in FIG.
9 according to the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling score by
referring to the fuel-saving-driving advice table illustrated in
FIG. 4. FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a manner of display of the
fuel-saving driving advice on the display unit 16. In FIG. 9, the
fuel-saving driving advice is displayed together with the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling score.
Alternatively, the fuel-saving driving advice generating unit 13
may generate a message corresponding to each of the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling scores based on message
templates.
An accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling diagnosis process performed
by the fuel-saving driving diagnosing unit 11 of the fuel-saving
driving diagnostic device 10a is described below. FIG. 5 is a
flowchart illustrating the procedures of the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling diagnosis process. This process is performed
every 100 milliseconds, for example. As illustrated in FIG. 5,
firstly, the diagnosis-condition managing unit 11a acquires the
vehicle speed, the vehicle speed pulse signal added-up value and
the accelerator opening from the traveling control device 20a (step
S101).
Subsequently, the traveling distance adding-up unit 11d calculates
the 100-msec traveling distance based on the difference between the
vehicle speed pulse signal added-up value acquired previously and
the vehicle speed pulse signal added-up value acquired this time
(step S102). Then, the traveling distance adding-up unit 11d adds
the 100-msec traveling distance calculated in step S102 to the
one-trip traveling distance (step S103).
Then, the accelerator-opening-rate upper-limit-value calculating
unit 11b calculates the accelerator-opening-rate upper limit value
for each vehicle speed range corresponding to the vehicle model
based on the vehicle-model information (step S104). Then, the
diagnosis-condition managing unit 11a acquires map information from
the map information DB 17a (step S105).
Subsequently, the diagnosis-condition managing unit 11a determines
whether the current position of the vehicle is a position which
necessitates the change in diagnosis condition or not based on the
acquired map information (step S106). When the diagnosis-condition
managing unit 11a determines that the change in diagnosis condition
is required (Yes in step S106), the process moves to step S107.
When the diagnosis-condition managing unit 11a does not determine
that the change in diagnosis condition is required (No in step
S106), the process moves to step S108.
At step S107, the diagnosis-condition managing unit 11a changes the
diagnosis condition for the fuel-saving driving based on the
acquired map information. Then, at step S108, the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c calculates the current
accelerator opening rate and performs the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling determination process. The accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling determination process will be described in detail later
with reference to FIG. 6. As the process in step S108 finishes, the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling diagnosis process ends.
The accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determination process
illustrated in step S108 of FIG. 5 is described below. FIG. 6 is a
flowchart illustrating the procedures of the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling determination process. As illustrated in FIG. 6,
firstly, the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining unit
11c determines whether the road on which the vehicle 1a is
currently traveling is a road such as an expressway where the
coasting is possible based on at least one of map information
acquired from the map information DB 17a, the road/traffic
information acquired from the road-information receiving device
18a, the speed-limit information acquired from the
speed-limit-information acquiring device 18b and the current
vehicle speed (step S108a).
When the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c
determines that the road on which the vehicle 1a is traveling is a
road such as an expressway on which coasting is possible (Yes in
step S108a), the process moves to step S108f. When the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c does not
determine that the road on which the vehicle 1a is traveling is a
road such as an expressway on which coasting is possible (No in
step S108a), the process moves to step S108b.
Subsequently, the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining
unit 11c determines whether the vehicle 1a is accelerating or not
based on the current accelerator opening acquired from the
accelerator operation quantity sensor 27 via the traveling control
device 20a (step S108b). When the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling determining unit 11c determines that the vehicle 1a is
accelerating (Yes in step S108b), the process moves to step S108f.
When the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c
does not determine that the vehicle 1a is accelerating (No in step
S108b), the process moves to step S108c.
Then, the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c
determines whether the current position of the vehicle 1a is a
downgrade or not based on the map information acquired from the map
information DB 17a (step S108c). If the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling determining unit 11c determines that the current position
is a downgrade (Yes in step S108c), the process moves to step
S108f. When the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining
unit 11c does not determine that the current position is a
downgrade (No in step S108c), the process moves to step S108d.
Then, the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c
determines whether the current value r [rpm] of the engine
revolution, the current value o [%] of the accelerator opening rate
and the current value f [mL] of the quantity of fuel injection
satisfy all the diagnosis condition on the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling determination condition table (step S108d). When
the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c
determines that all the diagnosis conditions are met (Yes in step
S108d), the process moves to step S108e. When the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c does not determine that all
the diagnosis conditions are met (No in step S108d), the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determination process ends, and
the process returns to the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling
diagnosis process.
In step S108f, the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining
unit 11c subtracts the 100-msec traveling distance calculated in
step S102 of FIG. 5 from the one-trip traveling distance. Here,
step S108a, S108b, and S108c define conditions for not performing
the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling diagnosis, in other words,
a condition for limiting the scene of diagnosis. For example, when
the driver of the vehicle 1a steps on the accelerator on an
expressway, the purpose is mainly to adjust the vehicle speed. In
addition, the vehicle rarely decelerates on the expressway. Hence,
the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determination would not
produce a meaningful rating result.
When the result of determination of at least one of steps S108a,
S108b and S108c is Yes, the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling
diagnosis is not performed, and the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling distance is not added. When the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling distance is not added up because the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling diagnosis is canceled, the meaning of no adding
up is obviously different from the case where the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling distance is not added though the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling diagnosis is performed. Hence,
in order to keep reliability of the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling score, the 100-msec traveling distance is subtracted from
the one-trip traveling distance.
The accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling diagnosis rating result
& advice notification process, which is performed by the
fuel-saving driving rating unit 12 and the fuel-saving driving
advice generating unit 13 of the fuel-saving driving diagnostic
device 10a is described next. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating
the procedures of the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling diagnosis
rating result & advice notification process. As illustrated in
FIG. 7, firstly the fuel-saving driving rating unit 12 determines
whether the one-trip traveling ends or not (step S201). When the
fuel-saving driving rating unit 12 determines that the one-trip
traveling ends (Yes in step S201), the process moves to step S202.
When the fuel-saving driving rating unit 12 does not determine that
the one-trip traveling ends (No in step S201), the process returns
to step S201.
In step S202, the fuel-saving driving rating unit 12 calculates the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling score based on the equation (1)
described earlier. The fuel-saving driving rating unit 12 then
causes the display unit 16 to display the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling score, which is calculated in the process of step S202,
the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling distance and the one-trip
traveling distance (step S203).
Then, the fuel-saving driving advice generating unit 13 causes the
display unit 16 to display, together with the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling score, an advice message to raise awareness of
the driver for the fuel-saving driving corresponding to the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling score (step S204). With the end
of this process, the accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling diagnosis
rating result & advice notification process ends.
As described above, by presenting the rating result and the
fuel-saving-driving advice to the driver, it is possible to raise
awareness for positive use of the engine braking and for
fuel-saving driving.
FIG. 10 illustrates a configuration of a fuel-saving driving
diagnostic device 10b and a traveling control device 20b of a
vehicle 1b. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the traveling control device
20b may include a fuel-saving driving diagnosing unit 22, unlike
the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1 where the fuel-saving
driving diagnosing unit 11 is in the fuel-saving driving diagnostic
device 10a of the vehicle 1a. The configuration of FIG. 10 is the
same as that of the example of the embodiment described earlier,
other than the configuration of the fuel-saving driving diagnostic
device and the traveling control device. With the configuration
illustrated in FIG. 10, the configuration of the fuel-saving
driving diagnostic device 10b can be simplified and the process
burden can be reduced.
A diagnosis-condition managing unit 22a, an
accelerator-opening-rate upper-limit-value calculating unit 22b, an
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling determining unit 22c and a
traveling distance adding-up unit 22d of the fuel-saving driving
diagnosing unit 22 have the same function and configuration as the
diagnosis-condition managing unit 11a, the accelerator-opening-rate
upper-limit-value calculating unit 11b, the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling determining unit 11c and the traveling distance
adding-up unit 11d of the fuel-saving driving diagnosing unit
11.
In the vehicle 1b, the accelerator-off fuel-cut traveling
determining unit 22c and/or the traveling distance adding-up unit
22d may be included in the fuel-saving driving diagnostic device
10b rather than in the fuel-saving driving diagnosing unit 22.
Further, the rating result and the advice may be notified to the
driver of the vehicle 1a/1b by sound or voice rather than by visual
display on the display unit 16.
According to the example of the embodiment as described above, the
diagnosis condition for making the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling diagnosis is eased and tightened according to the
traveling condition of the vehicle. Further, the accelerator-off,
fuel-cut traveling diagnosis is not performed when a predetermined
condition is met. Therefore, the diagnosis accuracy of the
accelerator-off, fuel-cut traveling diagnosis can be increased and
thus the accuracy of rating of the accelerator-off, fuel-cut
traveling can be improved.
The example of the embodiment of the present invention has been
described. The present invention, however, is not limited by the
example above, and can be realized in various different embodiments
within the scope of technical concept defined in the attached
claims. Further, the effect described in relation to one example of
the embodiment should not be taken as limiting the invention.
The respective procedures described in relation to the example of
the embodiment, all of or some of the procedures described as to be
automatically carried out may be manually carried out, or all of or
some of the procedures described as to be manually carried out may
be automatically carried out in a known manner. Other than that,
arbitrary changes may be made to the operation sequences, control
sequences, specific names, and information containing various kinds
of data and parameters described in the above example of an
embodiment, if not otherwise specified.
Further, each of the components of each device shown in the
drawings is merely functional and conceptual, and does not need to
be physically structured as in the drawings. Specifically, specific
forms of separations and combinations of the devices are not
limited to those shown in the drawings, but all of or part of them
may be functionally or physically divided or integrated by an
arbitrary unit, in accordance with various kinds of loads and the
usage conditions.
Further, all of or arbitrary part of each processing function to be
carried out in each device may be realized by a CPU (Central
Processing Unit) (or a microcomputer such as a MPU (Micro
Processing Unit) or a MCU (Micro Controller Unit)), or a program to
be analyzed and executed by the CPU (or a microcomputer such as a
MPU or MCU), or may be realized as hardware formed with wired
logics.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The present invention is useful in a case where it is desirable to
encourage a driver of a vehicle to perform early braking operation
using only the engine braking and using the auxiliary brake to the
least, to evaluate a coasting distance such that the use of engine
braking itself is positively evaluated, to raise the awareness of
the driver for the fuel-saving driving so as to reduce fuel
consumption, and thereby to contribute to the environmental
protection.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
TABLE-US-00001 1a, 1b VEHICLE 10a, 10b FUEL-SAVING DRIVING
DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE 11 FUEL-SAVING DRIVING DIAGNOSING UNIT 11a
DIAGNOSIS-CONDITION MANAGING UNIT 11b ACCELERATOR-OPENING-RATE
UPPER-LIMIT-VALUE CALCULATING UNIT 11c ACCELERATOR-OFF, FUEL-CUT
TRAVELLING DETERMINING UNIT 11d TRAVELLING DISTANCE ADDING-UP UNIT
12 FUEL-SAVING DRIVING RATING UNIT 13 FUEL-SAVING DRIVING ADVICE
GENERATING UNIT 14 IN-VEHICLE NETWORK INTERFACE UNIT 15 OUTPUT
INTERFACE UNIT 16 DISPLAY UNIT 17 CAR NAVIGATION DEVICE 17a MAP
INFORMATION DB 18a ROAD INFORMATION RECEIVING DEVICE 18b
SPEED-LIMIT-INFORMATION ACQUIRING DEVICE 20a, 20b TRAVELLING
CONTROL DEVICE 21 VEHICLE MODEL INFORMATION MANAGING UNIT 22
FUEL-SAVING DRIVING DIAGNOSING UNIT 22a DIAGNOSIS CONDITION
MANAGING UNIT 22b ACCELERATOR-OPENING-RATE UPPER-LIMIT-VALUE
CALCULATING UNIT 22c ACCELERATOR-OFF, FUEL-CUT TRAVELLING
DETERMINING UNIT 22d TRAVELLING DISTANCE ADDING-UP UNIT 24 ENGINE
CONTROL DEVICE 25 BRAKE CONTROL DEVICE 26 VEHICLE-SPEED SENSOR 27
ACCELERATOR OPERATION QUANTITY SENSOR 28 SHIFT SENSOR 29 VEHICLE
SPEED PULSE SIGNAL ADDED-UP VALUE STORING UNIT 100 IN-VEHICLE
NETWORK
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